2021-2022 TRAINING  & CAPACITY BUILDING SERIES

 

Here you will find a diverse mix of educational and cultivation offerings designed to equip HAND members with the tools and resources needed to bring more equitable communities to fruition. Our robust Training & Capacity Building calendar is released in the fall of each year, and offers a wide variety of educational sessions, networking opportunities and more. 

Be sure to check back often for the most up-to-date information on all programs!

Interested in sponsoring one of HAND’s programs? Email Heather at hraspberry@handhousing.org.

 

Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | AugSept | Oct | Nov | Dec 


 
 

SEPTEMBER 2021

 

The Guarded Gate:
Remembering Breonna & the Role of Race, Gender
and Real Estate in Creating More Equitable Communities

Date: September 23 | 12:00pm – 2:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

Nearly a year and a half after the murder of Breonna Taylor, so much in our world has changed, and yet much has remained the same. As we continue to reckon with race in our country, and navigate a just and equitable recovery from the pandemic, we must also consider the role of real estate and community development. CREW DC, Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND) and are pleased to present The Guarded Gate: Remembering Breonna & the Role of Race, Gender and Real Estate in Creating More Equitable Communities. This session is designed to inspire, empower and challenge all of us who are engaged in the movement to create safe, equitable, and inclusive environments. The opening presentation will ground our discussion with a history of gatekeeping and how it has impacted Black women and families. A dynamic panel discussion will follow, featuring industry leaders representing real estate development, property management, financial intermediaries and community engagement. Join us as we examine the systems and policies that got us here, and consider how each of us can work to dismantle inequities from where we sit.

Industry Practitioners

Crystal Lynese Walker
Founder & Principal Consultant 
Crystal Clear Consulting
(Keynote Speaker)

Kia Weatherspoon
Founder & President 
Determined by Design
(
Moderator)

Donovan Duncan
Executive Vice President
Urban Strategies, Inc.
Tiffany Durr
Senior Director
Strategic Investments 
Local Initiatives Support Corporation

Stacy Spann
President and CEO
MidCity 

Stephanie Williams
President 
Bozzuto Management Company

Registration fees: This event has a complimentary discount code for HAND members: HAND2021; Non-Member Fee: $25. 

 

 

An Introduction to RAD for PRAC:
Converting 202s into Section 8 

Date: September 28 | 12:00pm – 2:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

Calling all property owners and developers! HAND is pleased to host An Introduction to RAD for PRAC: Converting 202s into Section 8. This informative session will provide insight into the RAD conversion of affordable housing for the elderly supported by eligible Section 202 Project Rental Assistance Contracts (PRACs) to either Project-based vouchers (PBVs) or Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA). Learn how the option to convert PRACs under RAD provides an opportunity to recapitalize aging Section 202 PRAC properties while protecting residents, maintaining non-profit control, and extending the affordability period. This session will also feature lessons learned from recently closed RAD for PRAC transactions.

Industry Practitioners

Daniel Ehrenberg
Attorney 
Klein Hornig LLP 
Paige Gentry
Senior Associate 
Klein Hornig LLP 

Lee Goldstein
Director, National
Housing Development
Volunteers of America

Vicki Longosz
Senior Associate 
HUD’s Office of General Counsel
Stephanie Rhodes
Project Leader, Development
and Construction
National Church Residences

Eric Walker
Vice President
of Affordable Housing 
National Church Residences

Registration fees: Free to current HAND Members; Non-Member Fee: $75.

 

 

 

Decarbonizing Affordable Housing:
Challenges and Opportunities

Date: September 29 | 12:00pm – 2:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

State and local governments in the DMV have set ambitious goals to eliminate carbon emissions in the next several decades.  Achieving these goals will require decarbonizing existing buildings by eliminating fossil fuel use. Join us on September 29 for Decarbonizing Affordable Housing: Challenges and Opportunities.

Decarbonizing the affordable housing stock must be done in a way that considers the challenges uniquely experienced by affordable housing building owners. Failure to address these challenges will limit building decarbonization to better-resourced buildings, increase the costs of operating affordable housing, and deny the health benefits of building decarbonization to low-income communities.

This informative program will provide an overview of the benefits of building decarbonization, identify the resources, support, and targeted investment that affordable housing owners will need to decarbonize their buildings and explore opportunities to align energy and housing policies in support of decarbonizing affordable housing. 

Industry Practitioners

Michael Feldman-Wiencek
Green Building + Housing Affordability Program Analyst
DOEE
Cristina Garcia
Assistant Director
Building Electrification Institute
Michael Hindle
Owner & Principal
Passive to Positive
Joseph Knackstedt
Project Manager
DC DHCD
Jared Lang
Senior Project Manager
Wesley Housing
Christina McPike
Director, Energy & Sustainability
WinnCompanies
Todd Nedwick
Senior Director
of Sustainability Policy
National Housing Trust
David Smedick
Senior Campaign Representative for the Beyond Coal Campaign
Sierra Club

Registration fees: Free to current HAND Members; Non-Member Fee: $75.

 


 

OCTOBER 2021


Quarterly Member Power Hour 

Date: October 8 | 12:00pm – 1:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

Are you a new HAND member who wants to learn how to maximize your membership? Or maybe a longtime member who needs a refresher on membership benefits? If you answered “yes,” to either of those questions, we’re here to help! Join us for our next Quarterly Member Power Hour, where you can learn all about HAND’s offerings, the best way for you and your team to plug in, and connect with other members. All members are welcome! If you have any questions you’d like for us to cover specifically, please email them to Courtney Battle at cbattle@handhousing.org. We look forward to you joining us!

Registration fees: This event is free.

 

 

HAND Housing Indicator Tool Featured at National Alliance Community Economic Development Associations 2021 Summit 

Date: October 18 – 20 | 12:00pm – 5:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

Seizing the Narrative on Housing Justice
How can housing and community development networks seize this powerful moment to drive new narratives for our movement? Learn about initiatives on both coasts during this discussion oriented session. The Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND) launched the Housing Indicator Tool to keep jurisdictions accountable to housing benchmarks set for the region in an Urban Institute report. They have used this tool to make significant changes in the way elected officials and the media address the region’s housing shortage. The Shift the Bay campaign uses research-driven and field-practiced strategies to advance housing and racial justice. Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California is a lead partner in this cross-sector collaboration.

Objective of panel:  Share strategic communications strategies, tools and resources that have been utilized to drive the narrative, elevate resident voices, change practices and institute new policies toward housing and racial justice. To view the full conference agenda and register to attend, visit the website here: http://resilientcommunitiesforum.org

Registration fees: This is not a HAND event. 

 

 


 

NOVEMBER 2021


Bonds and Tax Credits 201:
Cutting Edge Debt Executions
and Case Studies in the DMV

Date: November 9 | 12:00pm – 3:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

As the nation continues to navigate the impacts of an ongoing pandemic, limited housing supply and an ever-growing population, innovative approaches for addressing housing affordability are more important than ever. Staying on top of trends in housing finance is critical for professionals seeking to expand their toolkit of strategies for maneuvering through various transactions. Join us on November 9 for Bonds and Tax Credits 201: Cutting Edge Debt Executions and Case Studies in the DMV. This informative session will provide guests with the latest debt market update and cover key topics including volume cap scarcity and the possible impact of the 50% test reduction. Additionally you will get a front row-seat to case studies on current debt executions in the region including: 

  • Risk Share (including FFB)
  • Fannie Immediate and Forward MTEB
  • Short Term Cash Backed Bonds
  • Freddie TEL

Industry Practitioners

Emily Cadik
Executive Director
Affordable Housing
Tax Credit Coalition

Ed Delany
Senior Director – Community Finance 
Capital One

Allison King, Esq.
Partner 
Tiber Hudson

Steve Napolitano
Senior Vice President
Equity Production
Boston Financial 
Investment Management
Kent Neumann, Esq. 
Founding Member 
Tiber Hudson
Thomas Pereira
Senior Vice President

Institutional Sales 
Boston Financial
Investment Management

Registration fees: Free to current HAND Members; Non-Member Fee: $75.

 

 

 

HIT ACTIVATION | HAND & Prince George’s County Present | Housing As a Racial & Social Justice Issue

Date: November 17 1:00pm – 2:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

In June 2021, as part of her economic development platform launchCounty Executive Alsobrooks set a goal for producing 26,000 new housing units – 75% of which would be affordable to households with income below 120% of AMI; preserving 6,000 existing affordable units; and increasing the number of new multifamily construction starts by 10,400. In an effort to highlight this goal, Prince George’s County will be hosting several events throughout November, including three policy panels. We invite you to join us for part two of the series, Housing as a Racial & Social Justice Issue

This session will feature a briefing on HAND’s engagement with housing equity issues, a dynamic panel discussion on housing as a racial and social justice issue for Prince George’s County stakeholders, and perspective from Prince George’s County leadership. Guests can expect to hear from a diverse slate of industry leaders and county officials who are invested in creating more equitable outcomes across the jurisdiction.

Industry Practitioners

Alicia Cotton-Doney
Managing Director
Greystone
Tiffany Durr
Senior Director 
Strategic Investments 
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Tim Martin
Chief Credit Officer
Enterprise Community Loan Fund
Heather Raspberry
Executive Director
HAND

Denise Robinson
Assistant Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Economic Development
Office of the
County Executive
Prince George’s County


Angie Rodgers
Deputy Chief
Administrative Officer for
Economic Development
Office of the
County Executive
Prince George’s County
LaToya Thomas
Housing Indicator Tool Policy Director
HAND

Registration fees: Registration is free for all guests.

 

November Informational Session | Introduction to VitalHealth, NSW and the Association Retirement Plan

Date: November 30 1:00pm – 1:45pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

One major area where health inequities still exist in the workplace is in employer-sponsored health benefits plan design. Traditional insurance plans—premiums, copayments, deductibles and coinsurance—frequently create barriers to care. They can also exacerbate inequities in healthcare by inhibiting the use of services – such as primary care – that benefit health and wellbeing. HAND is pleased to partner with The Center for Nonprofit Advancement, VitalHealth and The Capital Group to announce a special opportunity! We invite our nonprofit members that are truly committed to diversity, equity and inclusion to reevaluate their employee benefits by considering a first dollar coverage plan and Association Retirement Plan.

Choose from one of the sessions below:

  • November 30, 2021 | 1:00 – 1:45 pm
  • December 17, 2021 | 1:00 – 1:45 pm (registration under the “December” section of the calendar near the bottom of this page)

What is first dollar coverage? 
Experience no upfront costs to go to the doctor – like copays or deductibles – for any in-network covered service. The plan pays for medical appointments, hospitalizations, prescriptions, and a variety of other in-network medical expenses first as well. Without first-dollar coverage, many people delay seeking care when they need it or avoid care altogether, putting themselves in danger of future health and financial crises. 

Association Retirement Plan
The nonprofit retirement plan space has typically had plans with higher costs and restrictions compared to corporate plans.  The Center for Nonprofit Advancement’s Association Retirement Plan levels the playing field by allowing nonprofits to receive expert guidance, outsourced fiduciary liability, and access to institutional investments while also having reduced cost. 

Who should attend?
CEOs, CFOs, HR leaders and nonprofit leadership involved in employee benefits purchasing.

Why should you join the conversation?

  1. Reduce your employer sponsored benefits costs.
  2. Experience a better health plan design with first dollar coverage.
  3. To upgrade your employees’ benefits to retain, attract and care for your workforce.

Registration fees: Registration is free for all HAND members.

 


 
 

DECEMBER 2021

Keys to BEPS Compliance | A Deep Dive into the DC DOEE Retrofit Accelerator

Date: December 1 | 12:00pm – 2:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

Clean Energy DC is the District’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at least 50% below 2006 levels by 2032. In order to achieve this goal, the District must retrofit a significant portion of existing buildings to increase their efficiency and reduce their fossil fuel reliance. With these targets in mind, HAND and the National Housing Trust (NHT) are pleased to continue its series of stakeholder convenings on DC’s new Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS). In 2019, HAND & NHT started bringing together our members and partners to discuss the potential impacts of BEPS on affordable housing and develop implementation recommendations for the DC Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE). In order to keep up with the new standards and meet the Clean Energy DC goals, many of our members have expressed the need for technical, financial and other forms of assistance. Join us on December 1, 2021 as we continue this important dialogue and learn more about the new Retrofit Accelerator. Designed specifically to support affordable housing owners with BEPS compliance, you don’t want to miss out on this informative session! Register today to learn how you and your organization can continue the work of creating more energy efficient and sustainable communities across our region.

Confirmed Speakers:

Patrice Brooks
 Account Manager

DCSEU

Emily Curley
Commercial Energy Program Manager
Montgomery County’s Department of Environmental Protection
Michael Feldman-Wiencek
Green Building + Housing Affordability Program Analyst
DC DOEE
Annie Ratanasim
Sustainability Director DC Green Bank

 

Registration fees: Free to current HAND Members; Non-Member Fee: $75.

 

HIT ACTIVATION | HAND, Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers, & Greater Washington Community Foundation Host Regional Housing Access and Equity Forum: Shared Responsibility and Accountability

Date: December 9 | 10:00am – 12:30pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

The Washington region has one of the nation’s highest rates of unhoused residents, a crisis that has only been exacerbated by this pandemic. Generations of systemic housing discrimination through redlining, racialized zoning and covenants, subprime mortgages, and disinvestment in black and brown communities coupled with high housing costs and a severe shortage of affordable housing are significant drivers of housing instability. To adequately address our affordable housing crisis, the region needs to produce 374,000 net new housing units between 2015 and 2030, 77% of which should be affordable to middle- and low-income households. Join WRAG, HAND and the Greater Washington Community Foundation for a dialogue on an integrated vision and approach to achieve racial and economic housing equity. An approach rooted in accountability, equity, and alignment of the public, private, and social sectors who all have a role in addressing this challenge. 

HAND created a one-of-a-kind platform, the Housing Indicator Toolkit (HIT), to hold all of us accountable to the latest information on housing production across the region and a comparison with established local housing targets across ten jurisdictions. In addition to tracking development of new affordable housing units, the HIT underscores the policies and investments jurisdictions must employ if they want to be successful in meeting their respective targets.   

Register today for this dynamic convening of change agents committed to reaching established regional housing goals through shared partnership.  

Industry Practitioners & Elected Officials

Housing Indicator Tool Demo

   
LaToya Thomas
Housing Indicator Tool Policy Director
HAND
   


Panel I: Public Commitments to Meet the Washington Region’s Affordable Housing

 
Ruth LaToison Ifill
President & CEO
WRAG
(Moderator)
Heather Raspberry
Executive Director
HAND
(Moderator)
 
Council Member Derrick Davis
Prince George’s County Council 
Christian Dorsey
 Vice Chair, Arlington County Board; 
Board of Directors
Metropolitan Washington
Council 
of Governments 
Council Member Robert White
District of Columbia Council; Chair, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Board of Directors

 


Panel II: Private Sector Investments and Partnership with Communities to Meet Housing Needs and Shape Community Development

 
Ruth LaToison Ifill
President & CEO
WRAG
(Moderator)
Heather Raspberry
Executive Director
HAND
(Moderator)
 
Monica Mitchell
Vice President
Community Development
Wells Fargo 
Jennifer Olney
Community Investment Officer
Partnership to End Homelessness
Greater Washington Community Foundation

 

Maia Shanklin Roberts
Incoming Vice President
of Real Estate Development
Preservation of Affordable Housing


Registration fees
: This event is free and only open to current WRAG & HAND members. 

 

December Informational Session | Introduction to VitalHealth, NSW and the Association Retirement Plan

Date: December 17 1:00pm – 1:45pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

One major area where health inequities still exist in the workplace is in employer-sponsored health benefits plan design. Traditional insurance plans—premiums, copayments, deductibles and coinsurance—frequently create barriers to care. They can also exacerbate inequities in healthcare by inhibiting the use of services – such as primary care – that benefit health and wellbeing. HAND is pleased to partner with The Center for Nonprofit Advancement, VitalHealth and The Capital Group to announce a special opportunity! We invite our nonprofit members that are truly committed to diversity, equity and inclusion to reevaluate their employee benefits by considering a first dollar coverage plan and Association Retirement Plan.

Choose from one of the sessions below:

  • November 30, 2021 | 1:00 – 1:45 pm (registration link is above, under the “November” section of the calendar)
  • December 17, 2021 | 1:00 – 1:45 pm

What is first dollar coverage? 
Experience no upfront costs to go to the doctor – like copays or deductibles – for any in-network covered service. The plan pays for medical appointments, hospitalizations, prescriptions, and a variety of other in-network medical expenses first as well. Without first-dollar coverage, many people delay seeking care when they need it or avoid care altogether, putting themselves in danger of future health and financial crises. 

Association Retirement Plan
The nonprofit retirement plan space has typically had plans with higher costs and restrictions compared to corporate plans.  The Center for Nonprofit Advancement’s Association Retirement Plan levels the playing field by allowing nonprofits to receive expert guidance, outsourced fiduciary liability, and access to institutional investments while also having reduced cost. 

Who should attend?
CEOs, CFOs, HR leaders and nonprofit leadership involved in employee benefits purchasing.

Why should you join the conversation?

  1. Reduce your employer sponsored benefits costs.
  2. Experience a better health plan design with first dollar coverage.
  3. To upgrade your employees’ benefits to retain, attract and care for your workforce.

Registration fees: Registration is free for all HAND members.

 


 

JANUARY 2022

30/30 Experience

Date: January 13 | 10:00am – 1:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

As community development professionals, many of our organizations are in the business of serving low-income individuals and families, but many of us have never experienced firsthand the challenges that our neighbors – who are in large part communities of color – navigate on a daily basis. In the first session, HAND invites you to participate in United Way of Central Maryland’s 30|30 Experience. This 90-minute online session reveals why so many hardworking people can’t make ends meet. Participants in this immersive experience will assume the identity of a low-wage earner with a family, and make 30 decisions over 30 days—decisions that will affect you and your household. 

For those who haven’t experienced financial hardships firsthand, this can be helpful in understanding the difficult obstacles and choices vulnerable families face every day. This experience illuminates just what they’re up against—and what community members and stakeholders are doing to help.

Confirmed Speaker:

   
Crystal Lynese Walker
Founder & Principal Consultant 
Crystal Clear Consulting
   

Registration for this series is closed.


Learn More


 

FEBRUARY 2022

Quarterly Member Power Hour 

Date: February 4 | 12:00pm – 1:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

Are you a new HAND member who wants to learn how to maximize your membership? Or maybe a longtime member who needs a refresher on membership benefits? If you answered “yes,” to either of those questions, we’re here to help! Join us for our next Quarterly Member Power Hour, where you can learn all about HAND’s offerings, the best way for you and your team to plug in, and connect with other members. All members are welcome! If you have any questions you’d like for us to cover specifically, please email them to Courtney Battle at cbattle@handhousing.org. We look forward to you joining us!

Registration fees: This event is free.

 

Making Racial Equity a Reality in America’s Hypersegregated Cities

Date: February 10 | 10:00am – 1:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

Building on the content of the second session, Making Racial Equity a Reality in America’s Hypersegregated Cities will bring these important conversations to a more local level, examining the communities in our own backyard.

Starting with a rapid overview of the legacies of urban apartheid in Richmond, Washington DC, and Baltimore, Dr. Brown will discuss how housing and neighborhoods are co-constituents of the ongoing legacy of hypersegregation.  With this backdrop in mind, Dr. Brown will cover the five steps that are needed to make racial equity a reality in housing, neighborhoods, and cities.

Dr. Lawrence T. Brown is an equity scientist, urban Afrofuturist, and author of The Black Butterfly: The Harmful Politics of Race and Space in America.  He is currently leading the Black Butterfly Rising Initiative and serving as a research scientist in the new Center for Urban Health Equity at Morgan State University.

Confirmed Speakers:

 
Dr. Lawrence Brown
Equity Scientist; Urban Afrofuturist & Author of The Black Butterfly: The Harmful Politics of Race and Space in America
Crystal Lynese Walker
Founder & Principal Consultant 
Crystal Clear Consulting
 

 

Registration for this series is closed.


Learn More

 


HAND Resident Services Affinity Group Kickoff Meeting 

Date: February 23 | 12:00pm – 2:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

What does the intersection of health & housing look like in our communities? 
How should a resident council be structured? 
What is the most effective way to engage students in summer learning opportunities? 
Have any of these questions come across your desk? Are there other challenges your team is experiencing in delivering effective and appropriate resident services? If you answered “yes”, we invite you to join us for HAND’s Resident Services Affinity Group! Register today for our kickoff meeting on February 23 (12-2 pm) followed by a series of quarterly meetings where you’ll have an opportunity to discuss challenges, best practices, and actionable solutions to create more equitable communities. 
As community development professionals, many of us recognize that safe, healthy and affordable housing is the foundation for our communities to thrive. But the story does not end with housing. The individuals we serve – which include some of our most vulnerable populations earning 60 percent or less of area median income – require the combination of affordable housing and resident services designed specifically for their needs. Further, nearly all 50 states require real estate developers to integrate resident services into their housing developments via the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program. A number of housing agencies, bond issuers, and affordable housing funders also call for resident services to comply with their programs and missions. 
Many of the traditional services that our communities provide include: health and educational programs, financial literacy, and homeownership preparation. Additionally, programs often work with local organizations to assist residents with needs like childcare, transportation and schools. But what does this work look like in an ongoing pandemic? Is your community applying a racial equity lens to your programming? Are there blind spots in your community that could be off your radar?Each community and each household is different. As a main point of connection to residents, resident services providers must consistently evaluate whether or not the program is truly adding value or simply checking a box. 
The education, peer-to-peer sharing and exchange of ideas are core to the success of HAND members, and the Resident Services Affinity Group will provide a safe, intimate setting for this work to take place. Participants can look forward to convening with colleagues in the same space across the HAND network and learning from a curated selection of experts. Each session will include a featured speaker followed by a facilitated discussion.
 
Who can attend? All HAND members who are engaged with resident services! This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Resident Service Coordinators
  • Resident Service Managers
  • Resident Relations
  • Resident Service Specialists

 


 

MARCH 2022

Redlining and “Urban Renewal” Projects:
The Long Legacy of Racial Residential Segregation in the United States

Date: March 10 | 10:00am – 1:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

Even though our population is increasingly racially and ethnically diverse, very few cities in the United States have become more integrated since the 1970s. The vast majority, in contrast, are becoming even more racially segregated. Redlining is often pointed to as one cause of these increasing disparities, but redlining was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1948 and has not been a practice since.
 
Utilizing Critical Race Theory as a framework, in this session, we will trace the long legacy of redlining from the 1930s to the present. We will examine other forms of racial housing injustice, such as some “urban renewal” projects, as well as realtor practices like blockbusting and steering, which continue to uphold redlining’s legacy to this day. We will learn how all of these practices weave together to create our current issues surrounding racial residential segregation.
 
The information in this session will help participants understand the systemic and historical nature of these particular housing issues, which will enable practitioners to address today’s issues holistically, considering and tending to these systemic and historical roots.
 
Dr. Angie Luvera is an Assistant Professor in the Sociology Department at Frostburg State University in western Maryland. The roots of her anti-racist praxis are in her hometown of Keyser, West Virginia. 
 
Confirmed Speakers:

 
Dr. Angie Luvera
Assistant Sociology Professor
Frostburg State University
 Crystal Lynese Walker
Founder & Principal Consultant 
Crystal Clear Consulting
 

 

Registration for this series is closed.


Learn More

 

Environmental Justice Affinity Group Kickoff Meeting 

Date: March 23 | 12:00pm – 1:30pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

In recent years, we’ve seen the fight for clean water in Flint, Michigan, clean air in the South Bronx’s Asthma Alley, and an end to the urban oil fields in Los Angeles linked to dangerous birth outcomes – just to name a few.  On a local level, we’ve also seen expanded heat islands, record rainfalls, and worsening air quality. In order to successfully navigate the climate crisis, we cannot simply make a switch to renewable energy sources. We must also undo the consequences of environmental racism

Released in August 2018, Clean Energy DC is the District’s proposal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at least 50% below 2006 levels by 2032 while increasing renewable energy and reducing energy consumption, as directed by the Sustainable DC plan; and to put the District on a path to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, a goal announced by Mayor Bowser in December 2017 in recognition of the importance of local action to achieve the Paris Agreement goal to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C. The Sustainable DC plan’s direction to reduce energy use, increase renewable energy, and reduce GHG emissions proposes a framework for decarbonizing the District’s energy system that is ultimately designed for the city to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. HAND applauds the District and its surrounding jurisdictions for prioritizing our climate crisis, but we must also be prepared to address the direct impacts to the communities we serve.

In alignment with our commitment to centering racial equity in all of our activities, HAND recognizes the importance of the intersection of the climate crisis and racial inequities. People of color disproportionately experience environmental hazards, because of a systemic approach to placing these populations in close proximity to polluting facilities and infrastructure (e.g. power stations, plastics plants, methane gas pipelines and major highways) and the lack of investment in communities to protect residents from climate change impacts like extreme heat waves. The policies and programs that put them there ultimately expose them to harmful pollutants at a higher rate, increasing rates of cancer, lung conditions, heart attacks, asthma, low birth weight and high blood pressure. In order to truly create thriving, prosperous communities for generations to come, we must commit to creating healthier and stronger housing and infrastructure for everyone. 

We must also ensure that the transition to a clean energy economy does not create new harms for under-resourced communities or reinforce structural inequality. Climate policies and programs should be implemented in a way that increases, not reduces, housing affordability and provides greater access to job opportunities for our region’s marginalized residents.

We invite you to join us for HAND’s Environmental Justice Affinity Group! Register today for our kickoff meeting on March 23 (12-1:30 pm) followed by a series of quarterly meetings where you’ll have an opportunity to discuss the intersection of housing/community development and racial equity, policy updates, challenges you are experiencing in this space, best practices, and solutions to create more sustainable and equitable communities. Participants can look forward to convening with colleagues in the same space across the HAND network and learning from a curated selection of experts. 

Who can attend? All HAND members who work at the intersection of housing and energy and sustainability, including but not limited to:

  • Policy Staff
  • Energy & Sustainability Staff
  • Community Engagement Staff
  • Architects
  • Project Managers
  • Government Agency Staff
  • Asset Managers
  • Property Managers

 

Achieving Affordability Through Homeownership

Date: March 30 | 10:00am – 12:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

If the racial wealth divide is left unaddressed and is not exacerbated further over the next eight years, 
median Black household wealth is on a path to hit ZERO by 2053. 
(Institute for Policy Studies and Prosperity Now, 2017)
 
As we prepare for the launch of the updated Housing Indicator Tool, we are looking at the many ways that we can achieve not only greater affordability in housing, but also greater strides in racial equity. We know that in the US, homeownership is one of the primary ways for households to build wealth. We also know that historical practices of redlining, restrictive covenants, disparities in the ability to access financing, and high-risk loan products marketed specifically to black and brown communities have prevented many families of color from building wealth and achieving long-term housing affordability. We invite you to join us for our next HIT Activation, Achieving Affordability Through Homeownership on March 30. HAND will convene representatives from the public and non-profit sectors to discuss the role that homeownership plays in achieving long-term affordability, what creative tools exist for allowing individuals and families to access this affordability, and what affordable homeownership means for wealth-building in the long-term.
 
Industry Practitioners
Monica Warren-Jones
Director, Strategic Initiatives
Enterprise Community
Loan Fund
(Moderator)
Sasha-Gaye Angus
President & CEO
MANNA, Inc.

Jonathan Frederick
President & CEO
Alexandria Housing Development Corporation

Ikeogu Imo
Senior Vice President of
Multifamily Lending and
Neighborhood Investments
DC Housing Finance Agency
Fernando Lemos
Executive Director
Mi Casa
Mercedes Martinez
Property Acquisition
Committee Chair
Douglass Community
Land Trust
Stephanie 
Prange Proestel
Deputy Director
Housing Initiative Partnership

Noemi Rivera
 Director of Real
Estate Development
Habitat for Humanity of
Northern Virginia 

 

Registration fees: Free to current HAND Members; Non-Member Fee: $75.


 

APRIL 2022

We Gon’ Be Alright – Race and Resegregation in Today’s America

Date: April 13 | 10:00am – 1:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

After so much unrest and tragedy—in Dallas, Minnesota, Baton Rouge, Charlottesville, and across the nation—how can our communities heal? And in the aftermath of the Trump administration, what can we expect for race relations in a changing, polarized America? In this talk, Jeff Chang further explores the thoughts and ideas set out in his new book We Gon’ Be Alright, which The Washington Post calls “the smartest book of the year.” Police violence, mass incarceration, and issues of race and representation in Hollywood plague us. The idea of a diverse and inclusive society is besieged from the Midwest to the White House to Twitter. And resegregation—the increasing division of Black and white people across housing, education, and more—is quietly pushing us back to pre-Brown-vs.-Board-of-Education days. But to Chang, not all is lost. If we can unseat policies of resegregation, which activist groups like Black Lives Matter are helping to do, we join the great fight of our time—the fight to establish America as a thriving, prosperous, equitable place for all.
 
Jeff Chang serves as a Senior Advisor at Race Forward. He was formerly the Vice President of Narrative, Arts, and Culture there, and the Executive Director of the Institute for Diversity in the Arts at Stanford University. Recently, Chang was named to the Frederick Douglass 200 as one of “200 living individuals who best embody the work and spirit of Douglass.” He has written for The Nation, The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Believer, Foreign Policy, N+1, Mother Jones, Salon, Slate, Buzzfeed, and Medium, among many others.

Confirmed Speakers:

 
Jeff Chang
Senior Advisor
Race Forward
Crystal Lynese Walker
Founder & Principal Consultant 
Crystal Clear Consulting
 

 

Registration for this series is closed.


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Date: April 14 | 9:00am – 12:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

Empowered by           

The time has come for the 2022 release of HAND’s Housing Indicator Tool (HIT)! HIT is a one-of-a-kind platform that provides the most up-to-date information on housing production across the Capital Region, with a comparison to established local housing targets. Each year the HIT is updated with housing data from each jurisdiction, and you are cordially invited to the rollout of this year’s tool! Join us for this special virtual event on Thursday, April 14th from 9am – 12pm.
 
Industry Leaders
In order to effectively pivot to best meet the needs for housing supply, we must hold each other accountable for reaching our region’s collective housing targets. These industry leaders representing real estate development, philanthropy, and tech will speak candidly about solutions to drive more equitable outcomes for our communities across industry sectors.

Chuck Bean
Executive Director Metropolitan Washington Council
of Governments
David Bowers
VP, Mid-Atlantic Market Leader
& Sr. Advisor 
Faith-Based Development Initiative
Enterprise Community Partners
Catherine Buell
Head of
Community Development
Amazon in the Community
Vicki Davis
Managing Partner
Co-Founder
Urban Atlantic
Leah Hendey
Principal Research Associate
The Urban Institute

 

Jimmie Jones
Community Development Manager
Truist
Ruth LaToison Ifill
President & CEO
Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers
Monica Mitchell
Vice President of
Community Development
Wells Fargo 
Heather Raspberry
Executive Director
HAND
Carmen Romero
President & CEO
Arlington Partnership
for Affordable Housing
 
Steven Segerlin
Program Manager
for Real Estate
 
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Maia Shanklin Roberts
 Vice President
of Real Estate Development
Preservation of Affordable Housing

Peter Tatian
Senior Fellow
The Urban Institute
LaToya Thomas
Policy Director,
Housing Indicator Tool
HAND

 

 

 

Regional Leadership
HAND recognizes that there are unique nuances across jurisdiction lines. These officials from across our region will drill down on updates from their individual jurisdictions, and share how HAND members can best partner with them to create and preserve affordable housing. 

Christian Dorsey
 Vice Chair
Arlington County

John Falcicchio
Deputy Mayor 

District of Columbia

John Foust
Board of Supervisors
Fairfax County

Phyllis Randall
Chair, Board of Supervisors
Loudoun County

 

 

 

Angie Rodgers
Deputy Chief
Administrative Officer
Prince George’s County
 
Vandana Sinha
Editor-In-Chief 
The Washington
Business Journal

 


 

MAY 2022


Date: May 3 | 6:30pm – 8:00pm | Location: University of Maryland, College Park

Racial equity has risen to a level of national conversation that many of us could not have predicted. Dating as far back as slavery, we have lived within this structure that is rooted in an ideology that black, indigenous, and people of color are inferior to other races. This systemic racism has bled into our very way of life – even down to housing. Redlining, racialized zoning, subprime mortgages, and disinvestment in black and brown communities are just a few of the ways in which this system has created barriers to opportunity over the course of decades. It is no coincidence that these same communities have historically experienced underfunding in their school districts, segregation and overcrowding, among other inequities.

In alignment with our continued work of centering racial equity in all of our activities, HAND is pleased to join its partners in presenting A Conversation About Truth, History and the 1619 Project. In collaboration with the University of Maryland College of Arts and Humanities, and the Colvin Institute of Real Estate Development, this powerful conversation will feature Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones. Guests can look forward to a dynamic conversation exploring how her research can be leveraged to create more equitable outcomes in our communities.

Registration fees: This event is free and open to HAND members, UMD’s students & faculty, and the community with limited availability.

 

 

 


Northern Virginia’s Supportive Housing Institute | Informational Session 

Date: May 18 | 3:00pm – 4:00pm | Location: Virtual Webcast

 

Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), and HAND in collaboration with state and local partners are excited to announce Northern Virginia’s first Supportive Housing Institute starting this August 2022.

This is an exciting opportunity for supportive service providers, housing developers, and property/asset managers to receive over 10 days of practical training and individualized technical assistance on developing supportive housing in the Northern Virginia region (Loudoun, Arlington, Prince William, Fairfax/Falls Church, and Alexandria). Additionally, each project team participating in the Institute will have access to up to $300,000 in grant funding to help support the successful initiation and development of high-quality supportive and affordable housing. 

Please join HAND, CSH, and DBHDS for an informational session on May 18th from 3-4pm. This session will provide more details on the Institute structure and how to apply. Applications (to be released soon!) for the Institute will be due June 30, 2022.

Registration fees: This event is free and only open to those working in the Northern Virginia region (Loudoun, Arlington, Prince William, Fairfax/Falls Church, and Alexandria). We highly encourage both HAND members and Non-HAND members to attend. 

 


 

JUNE 2022


Homecoming in the Park | HAND 2022 Annual Conference 

Date: June 17 | 10:00am – 4:00pm | Location: The Parks at Walter Reed

This June will make three years since HAND members have come together in-person for our annual conference. In spite of our physical distance from each other, we continue to serve our collective as a CONVENER, EDUCATOR and ACTIVATOR with a robust slate of educational forums and policy activations designed to drive impact across the region and opportunities for our members to cultivate lasting partnerships. After much consideration on how to safely convene in person, we invite you to reimagine our annual conference. Homecoming in the Park is a return to HAND’s annual event…with a twist.

Each year, institutions across the country honor the tradition of Homecoming. From the football game to the tailgating, this is a special time for students and alumni to celebrate and be in the company of friends. We welcome you to experience our own version of Homecoming, featuring our signature Housing Expo and HAND awards, and programming showcasing our region’s Historically Black Colleges & Universities and their impact on our communities. We are thrilled to honor HAND’s commitment to racial equity with an ode to the institutions that have provided opportunity to people of color for hundreds of years. Plus you can still count on opportunities to connect with fellow members, great food (we’re lighting up the grills!!), and the inspiration that feeds our drive to create more equitable outcomes across our region. Put on your favorite homecoming tee and register TODAY! 

We can’t wait to welcome you home!


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